We all want our lives to go back to normal as quickly as possible after getting our homes painted. Here’s what goes into exterior dry times and how to make it as efficient as possible.
Drying Paint Versus Curing Paint
Paint usually dries within a few hours up to a day. But that doesn’t mean it is resistant to damage within that same timeframe. Dried paint just means that it is no longer sticky to the touch. This means you won’t have to worry about it rubbing off if you accidentally brush past it.
On the contrary, paint needs time to cure. This can take weeks to a month depending on the type of paint that is used on your home’s exterior. Curing is just as important as drying. Cured paint has seen most of the solvents evaporated, leaving behind a hardened surface that is more durable against wear and tear.
Factors that Affect Drying Time
The conditions while your home is being painted also have an impact on how quickly it can dry. Professional painters aim to schedule painting on days that are not too hot, humid, or cold. They like to avoid days that are particularly windy or ones with storms forecasted in the days following painting day.
Temperature is a major factor in paint drying and curing. Anything under 50 degrees is not favorable for painting because it will take much longer to dry and end up looking less polished and smooth. Hot days are also good to avoid because if paint dries too quickly, it doesn’t have enough time to properly bond with the surface of the home and leads to a flakey appearance.
Humidity is also an enemy of paint because of the additional moisture that is in the air. This prevents the moisture from being absorbed from the paint which extends your paint dry time and leaves your paint coat looking less than great.
Strong winds and intense weather conditions aren’t great for painting. You may think this could speed up drying but it could warp the paint layer in ways you don’t want. You may find ripples, leaves, and other debris stuck along your home.
Additional Considerations
The paint itself can also affect the amount of time you can expect to wait until your home’s exterior is dry. Thicker paints or thicker coats of paint will obviously lead to longer dry times. Also be sure to account for any primer coats that are needed whether or not they are mixed into your paint.
Latex paints will dry faster and you can expect it to be wet for around 3-5 hours before you can add a second coat. Following coats should have a quicker dry time of around 1-3 hours.
Oil-based paints will take longer to dry than latex paints, anywhere between 6 to 8 hours and even longer if it is the first coat. Some will even choose to give it time overnight before they attempt to finish out their painting project.
Looking for an Exterior Painter in Alpharetta, Georgia?
Yanover Construction is your local painting expert. Call 678-398-4613 to learn more about our painting options or other quality services. We offer painting services to Atlanta, Johns Creek, Alpharetta and the surrounding areas.